Old Indian swords: opinions?

[Richard Furrer]

Originally Posted by ariel

I made a small window on one of them and quickly etched it.
Mechanical damascus?

Yes and no. It is the result of welding, but more to consolidate the bloom than intentional patterning. Prior to large amounts of cast steel being traded and produced ALL steels and irons were the result of various bloomery or "direct reduction" smelts and the resulting iron/steel was forge-welded into a a larger mass simply to get enough solid material from which to forge a sword.

I saw similar things when in India, but I do not know the name. Some had very large blades with that handle style.

Ric